John P. Shevlin, P.E., Senior Vice President of Pare Corporation, was awarded the 2020 Humanitarian Award by the Providence Engineering Society.

Shevlin has been actively involved in community service since moving to Cumberland, RI in 1994. He served on the Planning Board from 1995 to 2004 and worked for over a decade on a committee for CumberlandFest, a yearly summer festival that is held to raise money for youth athletics in Cumberland. He also served as President of the Cumberland High School Clippers Hockey Booster Club from 2017 to 2019.

He started mentoring youth by coaching sports in 1989 and continuing until 2017. He expanded his support of youth sports programs through several leadership roles, including being an active member of the Board of Directors for the Cumberland Youth Baseball and Softball League and serving two years as President of the organization. He also helped to establish an annual golf tournament and scholarship program for graduating high school seniors who had previously played in the League.

Professionally, Shevlin has served as a director of the Providence Engineering Society (PES) Board in various officer positions from 2004 to 2008 and continues to serve now in the role of Chairman of the Board of Trustees. While on the Board, he initiated an annual golf outing to raise money for deserving engineering students.

Shevlin also served six years on the Board of Directors for Rhode Island Consulting Engineers, a professional association representing engineering firms in Rhode Island since 1991. While on the Board, he co-chaired the Engineering Career Day event, which introduced high school students to the field of engineering. In 2016, while in the role of President, Shevlin helped transition the Rhode Island Consulting Engineers to the American Council of Engineering Companies of Rhode Island. He remained on as the first President of ACEC-RI, and continues to serve in multiple leadership roles, including spearheading the Engineering Excellence Award program for Rhode Island.

Lastly, he is also a long-term member of the Rhode Island Society of Professional Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and he supported the formation of the Rhode Island Chapter of the Intelligent Transportation Society.

Shevlin has valued the importance of philanthropy and being involved in his community throughout his 30-year career at Pare Corporation. Now a Senior Vice President and Manager of the Transportation Division, his professional experience includes design and management responsibilities associated with traffic and transportation projects for a range of clients throughout New England.

Clarence "Bubber" Hutto, III, P.E. brings 38 years of experience as a civil and structural engineer to his position of Senior Project Engineer in Pare's Geotechnical Division. He previously worked on a wide range of projects in the Southeastern U.S. in private practice and for the US Army Corps of Engineers and Naval Facilities Engineering Command. In addition to being a licensed structural engineer in multiple states, he has federal certification in Dam Safety and In-Service Bridge Inspection. He will be supporting the geotechnical aspects of a wide range of projects for all of Pare's divisions. Bubber earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Citadel.

Daniela T. H. Abbott, P.E. brings a strong background in naval architecture and marine engineering to Pare's Waterfront Group. She earned her bachelor's from Webb Institute and her master's from the University of Southampton (UK). Daniela, who is bilingual, is an active community volunteer and is currently serving on the Town Council of Portsmouth, RI.

Christopher Luppino, P.E. brings over ten years of experience in water, wastewater and stormwater projects throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts to his role of Project Engineer in Pare's Environmental Division. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the New England Water Environment Association (NEWEA). Chris earned his master's in Environmental Engineering and a bachelor's in Civil Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Jody S. Robinson, P.E. has joined the Environmental Division as a Senior Construction Observer. In addition to a background in engineering and construction management, he has taught at the Community College of Rhode Island, University of Rhode Island, and Johnson and Wales University. He has served on the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) "Fundamentals of Engineering" Committee for the past 10 years. Jody earned his B.S. and M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Rhode Island.

John Mazzeo brings a wide range of construction-related experience to his role as a Construction Observer for Pare's Transportation Division, including safety manager, quality control, and construction project management. Before joining Pare, his varied experience included projects for National Grid, Providence Water, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. John studied Business Management at Florida State University.

Lori J. Cunningham has joined Pare as a Human Resources Generalist. She brings experience in talent acquisition, benefits, and employee relations and is recognized for her exceptional customer service approach when working with management, employees, contractors and vendors. Lori holds a certification from Bentley College for Human Resources Management and a Bachelor of Science in Human Services from Framingham State University.

Kristin L. Ebert joined Pare Corporation's administrative team in the role of Accounting Clerk, where she will be supporting the billing processes. She has a strong background in accounting and accounts payable. In addition to her nearly 20 years of industry experience, she has taken supporting classes at Fisher College.

Pare Corporation was awarded the 2019 Employer of the Year Award, recognizing the firm’s commitment to the advancement of women in the transportation industry by the Rhode Island Chapter of the Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS). Pare has been a member of the Rhode Island Chapter of WTS since its founding in 2006, and its mission to recruit, retain and advance women in the transportation industry has always been embraced by the firm.

Pare’s Amy Archer nominated the firm to receive this honor. As one of the 18 female engineers and science-based professionals at Pare, she elaborated, “I was proud to nominate Pare as this year’s WTS-Rhode Island Employer of the Year. Pare has always acknowledged professional development, networking, and involvement in professional societies as important components of the growth of engineers. Pare’s support for the WTS-RI chapter since its inception and for the women involved has always been strong. While women engineers are still a minority in our industry, Pare’s leaders have always treated them as equals and encouraged them to achieve and succeed. To me, that equality of thought is the true objective of WTS.”

Larry D. Riggs, PE, President of Pare Corporation, was awarded the 2019 Freeman Award by the Providence Engineering Society.

The Providence Engineering Society, one of the nation’s oldest professional engineering societies, gives the Freeman Award as their highest honor to an individual who has demonstrated engineering excellence and advanced the engineering profession throughout his/her career.

For over 40 years, Riggs has served as a role model through his dedication to Pare Corporation, service to the community, and commitment to the engineering profession. He has extensive experience in the management, engineering design and construction oversight of a wide variety of civil, structural, environmental and transportation-related projects.

Riggs shared, “In my formative years as an engineer, I was provided with an extraordinary opportunity by the founder of our firm, Robert Lee Pare, to define the direction and character of the company. In those developing years we stressed integrity, service and professionalism—those same traits demonstrated by our founder continue to define us today.”

In addition to successfully managing Pare Corporation, Riggs was a founding member and director of Rhode Island Consulting Engineers (RICE), a professional engineering association established in 1991 to promote the art and science of engineering, advance fair and intelligent legislation, and improve the overall business environment for engineering companies. In 2016, Riggs was instrumental in advancing the transition of RICE to the American Council of Engineering Companies of Rhode Island (ACEC-RI) and has taken the lead on several initiatives that improved the business environment for engineering firms. He has served in leadership roles in both organizations.

He also served for many years on the Board of Directors for Crossroads Rhode Island. During his tenure as Chairman, Riggs presided over the reorganization and consolidation of services provided by Crossroads which included expanding medical, dental, and in-house job training assistance programs to the growing homeless population of Rhode Island.

Riggs is a current member of the Board of Directors for the Economic Development Foundation of Rhode Island. He is also a member of several professional organizations including the Rhode Island Chapter of the Intelligent Transportation Society, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and the Providence Engineering Society.

Pare Corporation, a leading multi-disciplinary engineering and planning firm, was awarded a 2019 Common Good Award by Rhode Island Monthly Magazine and the Rhode Island Foundation. The Common Good Awards “recognize Rhode Island businesses of all sizes that inspire philanthropy in their employees around the state, not by writing a check to a worthy cause, but by encouraging staff to go into the community and help.” Awards were given to firms in four size categories - Micro (1-9 employees), Small (10-49), Medium (50-249) and Large (250+ employees). Pare won the award in the Medium Category.

Pare Corporation President, Larry Riggs, affirms, “We encourage employees to make meaningful contributions in the community through organized workplace activities, mentoring in our schools, and volunteering in community projects and charitable campaigns. Pare supports these activities by providing flexible office hours, the use of facilities and materials, and by making direct financial contributions. We all benefit from supporting the community--and we receive a tremendous amount of fulfillment from helping others.”

Among the many charitable causes Pare has embraced, none has a longer history than their relationship with Boys Town New England. Beginning in 1996, Pare staff have spent the last 23 years providing holiday gifts to the children in the foster care program of Boys Town. For the 2018 holiday season, the staff donated four bicycles and more than 483 gifts to brighten the holidays of 69 children. This brought the cumulative total of Boys Town children to whom Pare has provided holiday smiles to 816. Additionally, Pare has purchased turkeys for the Thanksgiving Meal Program for the last five years and supports Boys Town fundraisers and activities throughout the year, such as “Bowling for Boys Town.” Pare was honored by Boys Town New England with the Spirit of Youth Award in 2014.

In addition to Pare’s partnership with Boys Town, Pare employees have twice organized campaigns to support the Make-a-Wish Foundation to send two critically ill children on dream vacations. These campaigns included a 3-mile Run/Walk Challenge that encouraged participation by the entire design community in Rhode Island.

Educational outreach has always been an important part of Pare’s culture. Employees volunteer to give classroom presentations throughout the year to help students understand engineering concepts. They also serve as mentors and participate on career panels to encourage students of all ages to consider careers in the engineering field. Pare staff support local organizations by serving on various boards, engaging with community councils, building community playgrounds, and participating in community betterment programs. A recent example of community outreach combined the staff’s technical expertise with their desire to make a positive difference in the community when several Pare employees volunteered their time and physical labor to design and construct a stormwater raingarden at a local community center. Pare has created a culture that encourages every employee to be actively engaged in the community.

Sunder (Sunny) Lakshminarayanan, P.E. joined the Environmental Division as a Managing Engineer. Lakshminarayanan's extensive background in civil engineering, coupled with his significant experience in water and wastewater infrastructure projects will be a great asset to Pare's water and wastewater treatment work. He has worked across the Northeast United States and abroad. He has a B.S. in Civil Engineering, an M.S. in Civil/Environmental Engineering, and an MBA from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Robert Muganga joined the Geotechnical Division as a Senior Project Engineer. He has a strong background in deep foundation & soil analysis, project management with dams & tunneling, and large-scale project experience. During his career he has worked extensively in Africa, especially in Uganda and South Africa, as well as in California and Massachusetts. He has a bachelor's in Geology & Chemistry from Makerere University and a master's in Civil Engineering with a focus on Geotechnical from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. As part of his graduate work, he completed internships at the Massachusetts Toxic Reduction Institute and MassDOT. Muganga is a licensed engineer in South Africa and is actively completing the licensing process in the United States.

Ronald Guillotte, Jr. joined Pare as a Senior Engineer in the Transportation Division's Bridge Group. He has a wide range of experience in transportation and civil engineering projects that he will utilize to support Pare's bridge projects. Guillotte earned his bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where he was involved in the Student Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Todd Garner, P.E. came to Pare in December from Utah as a Structural Project Engineer in the Civil Division. In addition to a strong background in industrial and structural design, he brings experience in developing software tools for structural design and analysis to his role at Pare. Garner earned his bachelor's in Civil Engineering from Arizona State University.

Ryan Lozinski was recently hired as an Engineer upon completing an internship at Pare in the Geotechnical Division. Lozinski earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Merrimack College and a master's in Civil Engineering, focusing on Geotechnical Engineering, from the University of Rhode Island. As an undergraduate, he also interned for four years at the Rhode Island Department of Transportation. While a student at Merrimack College, he was an active member of the Student Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Matt Morrissey accepted a full-time position in Pare's Transportation Division upon earning his bachelor's in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Rhode Island in December. Morrissey completed two summer internships at Pare during which he completed field work, assisted with Rhode Island Statewide Drainage Inspections, and supported a project on the Johnson and Wales University campus.

Kim Sousa has joined the Transportation Division as the Administrative Assistant. In addition to her strong technical skills, she has a diverse administrative background that includes special event and project management. Sousa earned her B.S. in Business Administration from Nichols College.

Kathleen McCabe, AICP and Jennifer Mecca, RA of McCabe Enterprises led the project team. McCabe Enterprises led the Town of Medfield through a planning process to create a guide for the reuse and rehabilitation of 39 historic buildings, plus a suggested 661,000 SF of new construction on a 128-acre campus overlooking the Charles River. In addition to McCabe Enterprises, several other firms supported the planning process. Carol R. Johnson Associates (CRJA)-IBI Group assisted the team to evaluate land use and redevelopment, green infrastructure, and how the development of open spaces could spur new investment in the community. Pare Corporation provided engineering services including transportation studies, stormwater drainage and water treatment planning, and utilities design for the campus. Paul Lukez Architecture prepared conceptual design, including aesthetics, multi-modal access and walkability throughout the property. Project Management & Cost was responsible for cost estimates for the proposed public facilities. The Consensus Building Institute facilitated the planning process.

After the Town acquired the Medfield State Hospital property from the State in 2014, the Board of Selectmen appointed a State Hospital Master Plan Committee to develop a financially viable reuse plan that addressed the Town’s needs and was sensitive to the long-term financial impacts to the Town.

The Reuse Plan is truly a community-driven plan created with extensive and meaningful public engagement. Members of the Medfield State Hospital Master Plan Committee (MSHMPC) met every other week for three-and-one-half years. Community involvement was a significant part of the planning process. The Committees communicated with thousands of residents using a wide range of engagement formats. These included social media, surveys, walking tours, meetings, community workshops, open houses, participation in the annual Medfield Day events, and hosting an informational web site (www.mshvision.net) to serve as the primary information portal to the entire community.

The MSH Strategic Reuse Master Plan is unique in its use of a “Monte Carlo” analysis to balance the priorities and desires of the community with the economic and financial objectives of the town. The plan evaluates the impacts on school and municipal services, the effects on property tax rates, and the potential for profitable development from the investor’s perspective. Additionally, the draft zoning is based on a 40R framework but is customized to work within Medfield’s special permit process to allow for strategic growth. The MSH Strategic Reuse Plan balances the desired development and density with the anticipated tax revenues and the local municipal fiscal impacts. The Committee developed a three-prong financial test for the plan – “is it workable for the private sector, for the Town, and for the Medfield taxpayer?”

The planning process encouraged the residents to identify what they value in their community and how they would like to grow. The MSH Master Plan provides for the restoration and adaptive reuse of almost all of the existing buildings, which will provide a diversified selection of housing while maximizing open spaces along the Charles River watershed. In addition, a hub of cultural and recreational facilities will be created.

As one resident wrote after the release of the master plan, “The plan itself is a total gem—stunning, shows what 4 to 5 years of relentless work, smart people, unquenchable enthusiasm, careful listening, and creative imagination (plus a gorgeous site, beautifully designed existing campus, and fine old buildings) can produce.”

The Medfield State Hospital Strategic Reuse Master Plan has received widespread support and acceptance. The Selectmen have appointed an Implementation Committee and early implementation steps are underway.

Michael G. Mitchell, P.E., joined Pare's Civil Division as a Senior Project Engineer. He has over a decade of structural design experience including light industrial buildings, water/wastewater treatment plants, and water control structures. His experience will be a great asset to Pare's industrial and pharmaceutical facility design projects, including the work currently being done for Electric Boat to upgrade a boiler plant. Mr. Mitchell received his bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Heather Shanks joined Pare Corporation as an Engineer in the Geotechnical Division. She is currently assisting with the field work for the Narragansett Bay Commission Combined Sewer Overflow Program. She earned her bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where she served as a geotechnical teaching and research assistant. Ms. Shanks is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Brendan M. Pickett, who completed an internship in the Civil Division in the summer of 2017, recently returned to Pare to take a full-time position as an Engineer. He has hit the ground running to assist with several structural design and retrofit projects. Mr. Pickett earned his bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst; as a student he was a member of the Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Honor Society and the American Institute of Steel Construction.

Katherine K. Feeney has joined Pare's Transportation Division as an Engineer. She will support a wide range of activities, including assisting with traffic, roadway, and stormwater-related projects. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. As an undergraduate, Ms. Feeney completed a semester abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland where she studied Concrete Design and Soil Mechanics. She is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, and the Rhode Island Chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Ms. Feeney also just passed the Fundamentals of Engineering exam.

Jon P. Nanni, II recently joined the Geotechnical Division of Pare. While Mr. Nanni was a student at the University of Rhode Island he studied for a semester in Braunschweig, Germany. He graduated from URI in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in German. Currently he is assisting with the design improvements of Stafford Dams No. 3 and 4 in Union, CT for the Connecticut Water Company. Mr. Nanni is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Order of the Engineer, and Theta Tau Fraternity.

Tyler J. Greco joined Pare's Transportation Division as an Engineer. He completed several internships while in school including as a lab technician and a carpenter's apprentice. Mr. Greco is currently helping to design a pedestrian bridge as part of the design for the Wayside Trail in Waltham, MA. He earned his bachelor's in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Rhode Island, and is a member of the American Society for Civil Engineers.

Kyle N. Tronerud was recently hired as an Engineer upon completing an internship at Pare in the Environmental Division. He earned his engineering degree from Roger Williams University. His Senior Design Project, "Water Distribution System Feasibility Study and Design for Touisset Point," was awarded first place for the "Fresh Ideas Student Poster Contest" by the New England Water Works Association. Mr. Tronerud is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers where he actively participates in the Young Members Group activities. He is also a member of the New England Water Works Association.

Albert M. DiBiasio, C.S.T., is returning to Pare in the role of a Senior Resident Construction Manager for the Transportation Division. He served as a Senior CAD Technician and Project Coordinator at Pare from 2002 to 2006, and has since gained extensive experience in the construction field serving as a Construction Superintendent for several local contractors. Upon his return he will be supporting all phases of planning, design and construction of projects. Mr. DiBiasio earned his associate's degree in Architectural and Structural Engineering Technology from the New England Institute of Technology and is a Certified Survey Technician.

Imagine a dedicated path for bicyclists, joggers and walkers stretching out along Shore Road and curling down in a loop through Misquamicut — or maybe running the length of the road to Route 1.

About 30 bicyclists and other fitness proponents gathered Wednesday in the Terrace Room at the Westerly Library to show their interest in the proposed path, learn about its progress, lend ideas, and discuss bicycling safety. The municipal bicycle path committee has been working since 2014 to establish such a path. Its focus eventually became a section of Shore Road leading east to Weekapaug Road, west on Atlantic Avenue and then north on Winnapaug Road, reconnecting with Shore Road.

The entire loop is about 6.5 miles. With the help of state Sen. Dennis Algiere, R-Westerly, the committee also worked successfully to lower the speed limit on Shore Road, Route 1A, from 40 mph to 35 mph. “We thought any decrease in the speed limit would increase safety,” said Fred DeGrooth, chairman of the bicycle path committee.

DeGrooth said the committee’s mission has evolved over the years. The aim now is to help develop a master plan for a shared bicycle, jogging, walking, and in-line skating path. The members hope to identify how to establish the path in phases, and they also want to identify and engage funding sources, manage feasibility studies, and provide input on the process.

The town recently awarded a contract to Pare Corporation, an engineering and planning firm based in Lincoln, to perform a feasibility study on the proposed path. Town funding of the study, which is expected to be completed in January, was a condition of the $300,000 grant that the town received in March from the state Department of Environmental Management. The money is to be used toward construction of the path.

The feasibility study will serve as an update of an earlier study performed in 2007. The town was just one of 10 recipients of bicycle path funding made available through the $35 million “green bond” for environmental projects approved by voters in November.

At this point, before the feasibility study is completed, DeGrooth said the committee anticipates establishing the Shore Road section of the path first. If the loop idea does not work, DeGrooth said it might make sense to establish a path along the entirety of Shore Road. Because Shore Road has state-owned right of way land on both sides, it is viewed as the easiest piece of the loop, he said.

The path would be separated from the road with a barrier such as a jersey barrier, vegetation, or the use of “armadillos,” small hard plastic items that attach to the road surface to remind motorists to observe the dedicated space for cyclists and others on the path.

The Atlantic Avenue section of the proposed path would be the most complicated stretch because of the large number of driveways and the presence of sidewalks, DeGrooth said. The committee has considered trying to loop the path along Winnapaug Pond but has run into initial resistance to that idea from the state Coastal Resources Management Council, he said.

Lisa Konicki, a founding member of Paths to Progress, a statewide coalition of tourism professionals that advises the DEM on bicycle path development, encouraged the local committee to remain steadfast in its efforts.

“We have a shared interest of making a statewide bike path that is connected. Obviously that is a very long-term goal but you have to start somewhere,” said Konicki, who is also president of the Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce.

Lisa Pellegrini, the town’s director of development services, encouraged those in attendance at the meeting to stay engaged and to consider attending the three public meetings that the Pare Corp. will conduct as it conducts the feasibility study. Input from a wide segment of the community, representing a span of ages and generations, would help leverage additional funding, she said.

Ultimately, the future of the path will depend on the financing. “Funding is critical to getting this thing built. In the end, it will all come down to funding,” DeGrooth said.

Ben Delaney, associate town planner, encouraged those interested in a local bicycle path to visit planri.com and complete a survey related to the state Moving Forward RI 2040 long-range transportation plan. He said that the survey results might influence state policies and laws related to bicycling.

During breakout sessions, participants asked the town to conduct street sweeping earlier and more often and to make the roads safer for bicyclists. They also asked for repaving of Main Street, Potter Hill Road and roads in the North End; elimination of raised catch basins, and more bike racks at businesses.

Peter B.Georgetti, P.E., joined Pare's Environmental Division as a Managing Engineer. Mr. Georgetti has over 25 years of diverse experience working as a consulting engineer and in various engineering and management roles with municipalities, primarily in the State of Connecticut. He earned his bachelor's in Civil/Environmental Engineering from Northeastern University and his master's in Business Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Mr. Georgetti is a member of ASCE and CSCE, and is an active community volunteer in Mystic, Ct.

Michael P. Flynn, a Licensed Site Professional and Certified Hazardous Materials Manager, joined Pare as a Principal Environmental Scientist. He brings over 25 years of experience in assisting municipal, state & federal agencies, and private clients comply with environmental regulations and manage contaminated soils/groundwater in a cost-effective manner. His experience includes developing cost estimates, public bid documents and construction oversight services on complex infrastructure projects. Mr. Flynn earned his bachelor's in Environmental Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Andrew T. DaSilva recently joined the Geotechnical Division of Pare as an Engineer. Mr. DaSilva interned in Germany through the International Engineering Program while he was a student at the University of Rhode Island. Since graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in German Literature and Language from URI, he has worked extensively on environmental investigation and remedial projects.

Kyle Stanley has joined Pare as an Engineer in the Transportation Division, where he will be focusing on roadway, traffic, and drainage projects. He came to Pare through a recommendation by his supervisor at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, where he served for three years as a summer intern. Mr. Stanley graduated from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth with a bachelor's in Civil Engineering degree. He is a member of ASCE.

Nathan Meersman, a native of the US Virgin Islands, comes to Pare as an Engineer in our Environmental Division, where initially he will be assisting with water modeling and stormwater projects. Mr. Meersman recently received his bachelor's in Environmental Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute; as part of his studies there, he interned with a consulting engineer and an architect.

Michael Moulico joined the Environmental Division as an Engineering Technician. His initial assignment involves construction observation for a pipeline project; however, he will also be performing groundwater quality monitoring, environmental site assessments, and design-related assignments for the division. Mr. Moulico earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Rhode Island, and is returning to get a secondary degree through the URI engineering program.

Joseph Martino brings 25 years of experience in the water supply industry to his role as Senior Construction Observer in the Environmental Division. Before joining Pare, he was the Superintendent of the Johnston Water and Sewer Department and a construction observer for a consultant to the Providence Water Supply Board.

Michael Mello brings to Pare 10 years of experience in the construction and rehabilitation of water mains as a Construction Observer in the Environmental Division. He is currently providing construction observation for projects in Hingham, MA, and for the Providence Water Supply Board. Mr. Mello received an associate's degree from the Community College of Rhode Island.

School officials dig deep for new Durfee plans

By Brian Fraga at bfraga@heraldnews.com

FALL RIVER — About 300 yards from where young kids were playing soccer on the Durfee athletic fields, an excavator dug a 25-foot hole until hitting water.

The civil engineers, school officials and project managers on site examined the pit, which showed that the B.M.C. Durfee High School campus on Elsbree Street rests on urban fill, a combination of soil, dirt from other locations, demolition debris, asphalt, wood and coal ash.

“This is a major part of the feasibility study,” said Ken Pacheco, the chief operations officer for the Fall River Public Schools.

The long road to building a new Durfee is now in the phase where the project manager and school officials analyze the site’s soil to determine if it will support a 500,000-square-foot facility. The soil’s makeup will determine how to build the foundation and dictate the structural makeup of the new building.

On Wednesday, the excavator dug in a spot near the new school’s proposed footprint, which will run near the campus’ wooded area and take up the JV baseball field, the tennis courts and all of the current parking lot. The new school would incorporate an L-shape design, with the Durfee clock tower tucked into one corner. Pacheco said the new school would also be connected, via a large hallway, to the Luke Urban Field House.

Pacheco said the field house would be the only part of the current high school to be grafted onto the new Durfee. Most of the current school would be demolished except for one building that would be used for the Fall River School Department’s offices.

The Durfee project’s architect, Wayland-based Ai3 Architects, has not yet gotten into actual heavy-duty design work and renderings, but Pacheco said the new Durfee would have three floors; juniors and seniors on the third floor, freshmen and sophomores on the second floor, and the first floor being reserved for purposes such as graphic design, early childcare and Fall River Educational Television.

The effort to build a new Durfee has been in the planning stages for about four years, and it will be at least another two years before a shovel hits the ground. Assuming that the project goes before voters in a special election sometime in early 2018 — and gets approved — Pacheco said construction would begin around May 2019. In that timeline, the new Durfee is expected to open in September 2022. Officials have said the facility — with a capacity of about 2,500 students — would be the largest school project ever overseen by the Massachusetts School Building Authority.

Pacheco said he and other local officials will be going before the MSBA on July 27 to present the preliminary plans and answer questions about the project’s location, design and other logistics. The project’s engineers said they considered four sites for the school; the current location on Elsbree Street, the Duro Mills site, the Fall River Industrial Park and the Anawan Mills site. The project manager and architects decided to stick with Elsbree Street since the other possible locations had serious shortcomings such as environmental contamination and insufficient buildable space.

Sometime after the MSBA meeting, Pacheco said the architects will get into the design phase and begin to create an actual vision of the new Durfee that so far has been presented more as an assortment of hoped-for design principles.

Pare Corporation is pleased to announce that Allen R. Orsi, P.E. has been promoted to Vice President.

Orsi interned at the firm while in college before accepting a fulltime position upon graduation in 2000. Since then, he has developed strong technical and management skills which he uses to support the firm’s dam and geotechnical engineering projects. His experience includes the evaluation and design of dams and levees, dam removal analysis and design, as well as geotechnical engineering to support public and private projects. He has been instrumental in growing Pare’s Geotechnical Division and dam engineering practice, having managed three of the firm’s largest dam remediation projects over the last four years. He has also managed several multi-year dam rehabilitation programs, assisting owners of multiple dams to prioritize their needs. He has developed standard approaches to streamline Pare’s evaluation and analysis process.

Orsi earned his bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from Lafayette College, and is currently a registered professional engineer in MA, RI, CT and NY. He is also a member of the Environmental Business Council (EBC) of New England and the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO).

Pare and its design team partners recently attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Twin River Casino Hotel in Lincoln, Rhode Island. This $25-million, 79,000-SF, four-story “amenity” hotel will provide 136 guest rooms, a spa, pool, and fitness center attached to the Twin River Casino.

The project team consists of JCJ Architecture as the design and architectural firm, Excell Construction Corporation as the general contractor, and A/Z Corporation as the construction manager. Pare provided a feasibility study, site design, stormwater management design, a sewer extension, and a traffic assessment. Pare also delineated freshwater wetlands near the site and completed permitting with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Pare redesigned the parking layout to accommodate parking for VIP players, valet, employees, and visitors. The ceremonial groundbreaking was held near the north entrance of the Casino on May 2. The hotel is slated to open in June 2018.

John Shevlin, Senior Vice President and Transportation Division Manager, and David Potter, Pare’s Project Manager attended the groundbreaking ceremony with the project team. While reflecting on the project Dave stated, “Pare has been working on improvements to Twin River Casino since 2005, and we are pleased to continue work on this important addition to the Casino. We developed a site and utility design that balances Twin River’s needs with the site’s unique challenges and the concerns of the Town of Lincoln and state permitting agencies. The new hotel will be a great addition to the community and the local economy by creating approximately 30 new full-time positions.”

Victoria Howland, P.E., LEED Green Associate, was the senior engineer during design development and Jenna Ranker, CPESC, LEED Green Associate, served a similar role during preparation of construction documents. Jenna noted that “It was great to work on a project of this nature and scope. The addition of the hotel will also bring improvements to parking, pedestrian circulation, and stormwater management at the Casino.” Victoria expanded on this: “The project was exciting because it involved revitalizing an underutilized portion of the property. The new accommodations will provide a safe and convenient place for visitors, and the stormwater design incorporates green infrastructure into the site.”

Pare is pleased to announce that University Hall on the Boston Campus of the University of Massachusetts was awarded a Bronze Engineering Excellence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA).

Pare Corporation completed the design and construction-phase services related to site/civil, traffic, and environmental permitting for the new $130 million, 190,000-SF University Hall. The new academic building includes more than 25 general-use classrooms, four 150–200-seat halls, a 500-seat auditorium, a 150-seat recital hall, a black-box theater, special studios and laboratory spaces for the Art and Chemistry Departments, café, student lounges, and faculty and staff offices. Wilson Architects designed the building and Gilbane Building Company served as the project’s construction manager.

Pare performed the traffic circulation analyses to evaluate pedestrian safety, geotechnical consultation and construction support services, site/civil design, environmental permitting through the Boston Conservation Commission, and LEED documentation services. Site design presented several challenges which led to its unique design. Partway through schematic design the project site was moved when it was determined that the initial site conflicted with future campus work. The design team was required to evaluate the new site and accelerate design to stay on schedule.

Prior to completion of University Hall, a building connection was also proposed between University Hall and the Campus Center. The design of this connection was made more complicated by the interface of two buildings of different finished floor elevation and the potential for different building settlement. The area also abuts a bus drop-off zone. Pare was able to work with members of the design teams to bring all of these pieces together in a successful design. At each stage of the University Hall project, Pare and the design team had to evaluate the interface with an ongoing campus-wide Utility Corridor and Roadway Relocation (UCRR) project and quickly respond to the dynamic nature of its evolving design.

University Hall was designed to achieve LEED Silver certification, but is currently tracking LEED Gold through innovative sustainable features in the building and site design.

The awards ceremony was held Wednesday, March 15th at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, MA. Accepting the award were Andrew Chagnon, Pare’s Project Manager, and Andrew Weiss, Campus Planner for UMass Boston.

Pare Corporation continues to grow, and we are pleased to introduce our newest team members!

Jeffrey Dewey, P.E., joined the Civil Division of Pare as a Senior Project Engineer. He brings more than 25 years of project experience throughout Connecticut and Southern New England to his new role at Pare. His varied project experience includes golf courses, schools, commercial developments and large-scale utility improvements. Jeff has a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Connecticut.

Gary DeBlois joined Pare in February as a Senior Project Engineer in the Civil Division. He brings ten years of experience in designing and managing a wide variety of utility, building rehabilitation, demolition, marine facility, and site improvement projects. Gary has a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Additionally, he is a voting member of the Scituate, RI Conservation Commission.

Matthew McNally, P.E., was hired as a Project Engineer in the Transportation Division. He has 13 years of experience in the design, analysis and inspection of transportation structures throughout the Northeast United States, including a wide variety of bridges, culverts, retaining walls, and sign structures. Matt received his bachelor's and master's degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Delaware. Additionally, he is a certified Bridge Safety Inspector.

Jenna Ranker, CPESC, LEED Green Assoc., joined Pare as a Senior Engineer in the Civil Division. She has seven years of industry experience on a variety of site development projects. Jenna earned her bachelor's in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is certified in Erosion and Sedimentation Control, OSHA Construction Safety & Health, and is a Soil Evaluator in Massachusetts; she is also a LEED Green Associate.

Westley Nuhn joined the Bridge Group of Pare's Transportation Division. He has been involved in bridge inspections, bridge load ratings, and material quantity and cost estimates. Wes has a bachelor's degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Western New England University. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and Tau Beta Pi.

Erika Klinkhammer joined the staff of Pare as an Environmental Scientist. She earned her bachelor's degree in Wildlife Conservation Biology from the University of Rhode Island. Erika has a wide range of previous experience, including as an environmental educator, forest and park supervisor, and a NOAA Fisheries At-Sea Monitor. In addition, she is a PADI-certified scuba diver.

Harsha Prasad was recently hired as an Environmental Engineer. He has bachelor's and master's degrees in Environmental Engineering from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he completed his thesis on the Impact of Municipal Water Characteristics on Corrosion of Steel and Copper Piping. Harsha is a Young Professional Member of the New England Water Environment Association.

My Linh Pham joined Pare Corporation as an Engineer in the Geotechnical Division. She earned her bachelor's degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth; she served as a teaching assistant in the engineering department while there as a student. My Linh is bilingual in English and Vietnamese.

Markus Silva joined Pare as a CAD Operator. He studied architectural and mechanical drafting at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School and graduated Dean's List from the New England Institute of Technology with a certificate in Architectural and Engineering Building Sciences. Markus has a strong background in construction from working in his family's carpentry company-experience that serves him well in his new role at Pare.

Amy Gerhard brings 20 years of non-profit management experience to her role leading Pare's corporate communications. Amy has a bachelor's from Randolph-Macon Woman's College, a master's from Indiana Wesleyan, and continued her education through the Preservation Institute: Nantucket.

Pare Corporation, a leading multi-disciplinary engineering and planning firm, is pleased to announce its most recent staff additions. Pare’s newest employees are part of our expanding Environmental and Civil Divisions within the Lincoln, RI office.

Matthew Alford is a site/civil engineer with experience in several engineering disciplines. Matt is a 2011 graduate of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He received a B.S. in Civil Engineering. His experience includes site and civil planning for many municipal projects in Pennsylvania. Matt also built a familiarity with stormwater best practices, outfall design, and erosion and sediment controls through several land development projects including industrial parks, parking garages, and student housing. Matt is one of three Eagle Scouts at Pare Corporation, the most prestigious honor achieved through Boy Scouts of America. Matt joined Pare’s Lincoln, RI Civil Division as a Senior Engineer in December 2015.

Jessica Damicis recently graduated from the University of Rhode Island’s International Engineering Program where she received a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and a B.A. in Spanish. Her experience ranges from field research in Kisumu, Kenya, to utilizing AutoCAD and GIS equipment in Irurtzun, Spain. She was the URI Chapter President as well as the Northeast Region Chapter Relations Coordinator for Engineers for a Sustainable World, during which time she participated in designing and implementing a sustainable and effective wastewater treatment system for a school in rural Guatemala. Jessica joined Pare’s Environmental Engineering Division in late March. In the short time since starting at Pare, Jessica has teamed with coworker Danielle Goudreau of Pare’s Foxboro Civil Division to form the brand new Providence Professional Chapter of Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW-PVD).

Established in 1970, Pare Corporation provides comprehensive planning, engineering, permitting and construction-phase services throughout the Eastern United States in such areas as site/civil, structural, geotechnical, environmental, highways, bridges, waterfront/marine, dams, water/wastewater, and municipal engineering. Pare operates from full-service offices in Foxboro, Massachusetts and Lincoln, Rhode Island.

Pare Corporation is pleased to announce that the new Marshfield High School project was a Bronze Award Winner at the American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) Engineering Excellence Awards. The awards ceremony was held Wednesday, March 16th at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, MA.

Accepting the award was Andrew Chagnon, Pare’s Project Manager and Kenneth DeCosta, Principal-in-Charge. The Marshfield High School project was recognized for providing innovative solutions to complex site development challenges. Successful site design involved taking into consideration and interacting with the existing Marshfield High School, which had to remain in operation throughout construction, as well as two other schools located on the same campus. Through construction phasing, planning, and coordination, all existing building uses and associated utilities remained in-use and able to operate in a safe and effective manner during construction. Safe and efficient access to all three schools was a primary project concern. The phasing analyses included on-site and off-site traffic circulation during construction and after project completion. Pare’s design provided for the ability to maintain full use of the existing facilities on campus during the construction of the new school, as well as 50 acres of site development. The new Marshfield High School opened in September 2014, and site worked continued through fall 2015.

The 42-year old Marshfield High School was suffering from overcrowding, outdated facilities, and worsening structural and infrastructural deficiencies. Pare was responsible for design, permitting, and construction-phase services related to site/civil, traffic, geotechnical, and environmental engineering for the $102 million facility. In addition to the new high school building, site design included two multi-use synthetic turf fields, eleven turf ballfields, one new synthetic track, and eight tennis courts.

The project obstacles ended up paving the way for one of Pare’s greatest design successes. Project Manager Andrew Chagnon said, “As a site designer this was a great project to work on. The Town was very supportive of having a well-developed site that provides opportunities for academics, athletics and the overall community. The stadium, community track, numerous additional fields, courtyard, and outdoor dining area are all components that make this a project Pare is proud to have been involved with.”

LINCOLN, RI—Pare Corporation, a leading multi-disciplinary engineering and planning firm, is pleased to announce the promotion of Timothy P. Thies, P.E. to Vice President. As a longstanding member of the firm, he has demonstrated his expertise and commitment to excellence in managing projects and client service.

Thies’ 14 years of experience at Pare covers a diverse field of civil and environmental engineering, including water, wastewater, solid waste, and hazardous waste projects. Thies is exceptional at fostering long-term relationships with Pare clients and colleagues, which has contributed to the success of countless projects. Some of his longstanding clients include Providence Water, the Bristol County Water Authority, Tiverton Municipal Landfill, and the Town of Southborough, Massachusetts. Among Thies’ notable projects are the Providence Water Hydraulic Model (serving 600,000+ customers), the Narragansett Bay Commission Phase III CSO Project, and the recent East Providence Water System Improvement Project which involved a 6- million gallon storage facility and 7,500 feet of large diameter transmission main.

Thies holds a B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He joined Pare soon after graduating. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Thies also serves as a dedicated volunteer and mentor for students who are developing their Capstone Projects at Brown University and the University of Rhode Island.

George Palmisciano, Senior Vice President and Environmental Division Manager, said of Thies’ promotion, “Tim brings energy, technical excellence, and commitment to every project he leads. He is a great mentor to junior staff and has helped guide the growth of the Environmental Division. He is a trusted team player to both clients and colleagues. We are proud to promote Tim to Vice President, and look forward to his continuing contributions to Pare’s success.”

Pare Corporation, a leading multi-disciplinary engineering and planning firm, is pleased to announce its most recent staff additions. Pare’s newest employees join the firm’s Civil Division in both the Lincoln, RI and Foxboro, MA offices. The experience of our new staff ranges from recent engineering graduates to project engineers with more than a decade of international engineering experience.

Joseph L. Weed, P.E., LEED AP, has joined Pare as a Project Engineer in our Lincoln, RI office. Joe brings 12 years of civil design and construction experience to Pare. He has worked throughout Canada and the United States on both public and privately funded projects requiring large, multidiscipline teams. For the past three years, Joe was a project engineer within the infrastructure division of the Canadian subsidiary of a global resources and energy firm. In this position, Joe worked as the Lead Civil Engineer on a number of large mining and energy projects around the world including facilities in the Ukraine, Zambia, Dominican Republic, and many of the Canadian provinces. Joe also has significant public and private experience across the United States, including projects in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Texas, Nevada, and Idaho. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University, with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering and Technical Specialty in Water Resources.

James P. Asprinio, LEED AP, recently joined Pare’s Foxboro, MA office as a Project Engineer. A native Rhode Islander, Jim started his engineering career in Rhode Island before moving to the west coast where hespent 10 years working as a civil project engineer in the states of California and Washington. Jim has been responsible for managing the civil design and construction oversight of a wide variety of public and private projects including schools, hospitals, shopping centers, parks, and infrastructure. Immediately prior to joining Pare, Jim was president and lead designer for his own company, Asprinio Sustainable Consulting, which specialized in environmental and green buildings consulting in Issaquah, WA. Jim received his B.S. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Rhode Island, and is completing online studies for a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Oregon.

Sarah M. Antolick has joined Pare as a Civil Engineer in our Foxboro, MA office. Sarah is a 2015 Civil Engineering graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Sarah obtained an impressive amount of work and on-site experience during her college education. During her senior year, Sarah spent three months working in the Safety and Quality Department of the Panama Canal Authority in Panama City, where she performed field oversight for excavation, processing, hauling and laying of materials for the construction of Borinquen Dam 1E. During her college career she also completed challenging summer internships with the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority and with a Massachusetts civil engineering firm that specializes in water system planning and distribution. Sarah served as President and Vice President of WPI’s Society of Women Engineers.

Christopher S. Webber has joined Pare’s Foxboro, MA office as a Civil Engineer. Chris graduated from Northeastern University in 2015 with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering, and a concentration in EnvironmentalEngineering. Chris completed three engineering co-ops as an undergraduate, including a summer with the Boston Water and Sewer Commission, a summer with a large civil engineering firm, and a summer with a geotechnical/environmental firm. Chris joins Pare with a large CAD and GIS portfolio, as well as environmental, geotechnical, and sewer design project experience. As a student, Chris was a member of Engineers Without Borders and the New England Water Environment Association.

Established in 1970, Pare Corporation provides comprehensive planning, engineering, permitting and construction-phase services throughout the Eastern United States in such areas as site/civil, structural, geotechnical, environmental, highways, bridges, waterfront/marine, dams, water/wastewater, and municipal engineering. PARE operates from full-service offices in Foxboro, Massachusetts and Lincoln, Rhode Island.

David Easterbrooks, FSMPS, CPSM—Vice President and Director of Marketing and Business Development for Pare Corporation—was recently named a Fellow of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (FSMPS). Easterbrooks was one of three members of the 2015 Class of Fellows honored on August 20, 2015 at the SMPS Awards Gala in Los Angeles during Build Business, the SMPS National Conference.

Easterbrooks has been Director of Marketing and Business Development at Pare since 1998, and has worked as a marketing professional at A/E/C firms for more than 30 years. He has been an active member of SMPS throughout his A/E/C career, engaged primarily in the Washington D.C., Maryland, Connecticut, and Boston chapters. He has held a number of leadership roles with the SMPS Boston Chapter including President, Vice President, Treasurer, Education Director, CPSM Director, and Past President. He has also been an educational speaker, written articles for Marketer magazine, has served on numerous A/E/C industry committees, and was the recipient of the 2012 Marketing Professional of the Year Award from SMPS Boston. He is a Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM).

The Fellows of SMPS represent the highest level of experience and leadership in marketing within the design and building industry. Less than 2% of the total SMPS membership (6,500 members in 58 chapters across the United States and Canada) currently hold the Fellows designation. The Fellows serve as a resource at the chapter, regional, and national levels, providing insight, ideas, programs, and mentoring for the benefit of the members and the Society. In addition, these individuals teach, write, and speak on marketing issues outside of SMPS, working to advance the profession of marketing professional services throughout the architectural/engineering/construction industry. Only members who have been active in the Society for at least 10 years of the previous 15 consecutive years, have 15 years of experience as a marketer and/or business developer in the A/E/C industry, and have held a current Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) designation for a minimum of five years are qualified to apply for the Fellows Recognition Program.

At Pare, Easterbrooks has guided the firm through a complete rebranding program, instituted an ongoing strategic planning process, and directed business development activities that have resulted in strong growth for the firm in terms of revenue, staff size, and geographic reach.

“Dave is an admirable leader and innovator for both Pare and SMPS Boston,” said Larry Riggs, President at Pare Corporation. “He consistently elevates marketing standards, and is an expert at merging both A/E/C and Marketing industry practices. Beyond expertise, leaders at Pare and SMPS unanimously consider Dave to be an invaluable team member.”

Pare Corporation is pleased to announce four new full-time employees, including several Pare interns from summers past who have accepted full-time positions, and a part-time staff member who has been promoted to a full-time position.

Sarah Pierce has been promoted to the position of full-time Environmental Scientist at Pare. Sarah joined Pare’s Civil Division as a part-time Environmental Scientist in December 2014 after graduating from Westfield State University, Westfield, MA. Sarah has proven to be a great asset to Pare’s wetland science and natural resources group over the past seven months. Sarah has also worked extensively providing GIS (geographic information system) services on Pare projects, and her promotion to a full-time position will allow her to expand Pare’s GIS capabilities. Sarah’s promotion recognizes her commitment to her work and her desire to improve Pare’s efficiency and output through her contributions to our Civil Division.

Brian Dutra, who interned at Pare as an undergraduate student, was recently hired full-time as a Civil Engineer. Brian graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. Brian, a Rhode Island native, holds the honorable achievement and title of Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America. Pare is pleased that Brian will continue his work at Pare, now as full-time staff member.

Travis Johnson, also a previous intern at Pare, has now joined our staff as a full-time Environmental Engineer. Travis interned within the Environmental Division throughout his senior year at the University of Rhode Island, and recently graduated during Spring 2015. Travis earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, as well as a Minor in Business. Before starting his full-time position at Pare, Travis backpacked throughout Europe. Travis joins our staff with hands-on experience with many of Pare’s current Environmental projects, as he transitions from an intern to a full-time Environmental Engineer.

David Magnano recently joined Pare as an Engineer in the Civil Division. David is a 2013 graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, MA, where he received his B.S.E. in Civil Engineering. David is an avid volunteer. At WPI, David created a campus-wide annual philanthropy event based on the 1990’s TV show, Legends of the Hidden Temple, to benefit Northeast Arc, an organization which helps disabled individuals and their families. David is a structural engineer, and came to Pare with experience in design, permitting, AutoCad, and project management.

Pare Corporation was proud to join fellow design and construction firms, Veterans Home staff, US and state leaders, and a distinguished group of resident veterans for the official groundbreaking of the Rhode Island Veterans Home, in Bristol, RI. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on May 22, timed to coincide with the start of Memorial Day Weekend. The speakers—including Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, US Representatives James Langevin and David Cicilline, and members of Rhode Island’s legislature—praised the project goals and spoke of the honor of providing a shelter and care facility for those who have sacrificed so much for their country. It was a moving ceremony for those in attendance, a majority of whom reside at or provide care at the existing facility.

The new $94-million RI Veterans Home will replace the original Veterans Home, which was built on this 110-acre site in 1880 to serve veterans of the Civil War. The new, dramatically updated facility will provide a comfortable, aesthetically pleasing, and nurturing environment for Rhode Island’s veterans. Pare is providing site and utility design and engineering services for the new facility, which will include 208 private bedrooms subdivided into “neighborhoods,” welcoming common areas, and recreational space for residents. Each common area will include a kitchenette, tables and chairs, and a lounging area. There will also be a community center, referred to as “Commons,” which will include a main dining room, library, a barber shop, administrative offices, and healthcare offices.

Pare has been working with Brewster Thornton Group Architects and several other consulting firms to develop the site, which has been designed to provide complete accessibility for all users. Stormwater management was another component of Pare’s responsibilities for this project; stormwater generated on-site will be treated and infiltrated through the use of bioretention areas and sand filters. Also, to accommodate the new building layout, the historic water tower, currently located on a slight incline, will be moved to the facility’s entrance, and the hill flattened.

Ken DeCosta, Senior Vice President and Civil Division Manager at Pare, attended the groundbreaking ceremony along with the project team. While reflecting on the ceremony, Ken said, “It’s extremely special that we had our groundbreaking ceremony so close to Memorial Day. Having all the veterans here for the groundbreaking was heart-warming, and it’s a project we’re proud to be a part of.” David Potter, a Senior Project Engineer at Pare, commented that “this project is very important to Rhode Island’s veterans and a major investment in the local economy, and we are happy to be here.”

Pare Corporation, a leading multi-disciplinary engineering and planning firm, is pleased to announce that the Bristol Town Beach Stormwater Outfall Retrofit project was a Bronze Award Winner at the American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) Engineering Excellence Awards. The awards ceremony was held Wednesday, March 18th at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, MA.

Receiving the award were Walter Burke, Parks and Recreation Director for Bristol, Rhode Island, and David Potter, Pare’s Project Manager. The Bristol Town Beach Stormwater Outfall Retrofit was recognized for being an innovative, aesthetically pleasing, and sustainable solution to a chronic public health issue – beach closures due to unhealthy levels of pathogens in the water following storm events. Following a detailed analysis of the contributing watershed, Pare designed Rhode Island’s first Gravel Wet Vegetated Treatment System (GWVTS) to reduce the pollution and harmful pathogens that previously were released at this beach on Narragansett Bay. Prior to the design and implementation of the project, the Bristol Town Beach was closed to swimming on 85 summer days between 2000 and 2012. Since the project was completed in 2013, there have been zero beach closings.

The design uses a vegetated permanent pool split between two cells to temporarily capture stormwater runoff from the adjacent recreational facilities and residential neighborhoods. The cells create an ideal environment for beneficial bacteria that feed on the pathogens and suspended solids carried by the stormwater. The two cells within the GWVTS are planted with a variety of aesthetically pleasing flowers and shrubs that also function as filters. Plantings were chosen to be sustainable with minimal maintenance. Because of the innovative techniques employed, the town uses the facility as a public educational opportunity. Pare created a graphic illustration of the treatment process that was installed on an informational sign at the site.

When discussing the success of the project, Pare’s staff unanimously credit Bristol Parks and Recreation Director Walter Burke for embracing new technology and methods that not only solved a recurring environmental problem for one of his facilities but also provided a demonstration project for other communities. It is hoped this project will spur similar sustainable designs in other towns on Narragansett Bay and beyond. For his vision and persistence, Walter Burke received the 2014 Environmental Achievement Award from Rhode Island’s Save the Bay, a 45-year-old environmental advocacy organization that works to protect and improve Narragansett Bay. The award is presented annually to those individuals, corporations or organizations that have demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to the environmental protection of Narragansett Bay and its watershed.

Pare Corporation is pleased to announce the following promotion and recent new hires.

Jason (Jay) Gaudette has been promoted to Senior CADD Technician. Jay has been a valued member of PARE’s staff since 2004. Throughout the last 10 years, Jay has demonstrated an affinity for problem solving and learning, especially in regards to the ever-changing world of software and technology. He is an asset to all of PARE’s divisions because of his help with the preparation of contract drawings for civil, geotechnical, dam and waterfront projects, as well as project graphics. Jay’s promotion recognizes his commitment to his work and his desire to improve PARE’s efficiency and output through his contributions to firm-wide Information Technology.

Jesse Herman recently joined PARE as an Engineer in the Civil Division. Jesse is a 2014 graduate of Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA, where he received his B.S.E. in Environmental Engineering. Jesse is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers. Jesse was also Captain of the Geneva College Varsity Men’s Soccer Team. Jesse came to PARE with well-rounded experience, including water and wastewater treatment facility design, environmental consultation, and project management.

Sarah Pierce recently joined PARE as an Environmental Scientist. Sarah graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Science from Westfield State University in 2014. Sarah was the recipient of the Outstanding Environmental Science Student Award. Sarah’s undergraduate professional experience includes working alongside Conservation Commissions, Planning Boards, and Highway Departments. PARE is pleased to welcome Sarah to our growing Civil Division.

Pare is pleased to announce the promotion of several valued staff members!

Cari Orsi, P.E., LEED AP, has been an important contributor to Pare's Civil Division for more than 10 years. She joined Pare immediately after graduating from the University of Maine. Cari’s project experience at Pare has included site design services for numerous schools, athletic facilities, and public and commercial buildings. Cari's continuous growth through persistence, hard work and focus on succeeding as a team has earned Cari a promotion to Senior Project Engineer.

Dave McCombs, P.E., joined Pare’s Civil/Structural Group in December 2013 after spending the majority of his 20 year career self-employed as an engineer, contractor and realtor. His project experience includes horizontal and vertical structural designs, structural condition assessments and evaluations, building demolition plans, performing pre- and post-construction inspections, and providing on-site construction supervision. Dave's transition into a professional team environment has been described as "seamless," and in less than a year, Dave has earned his promotion to Project Engineer.

Marc Weller joined Pare's Environmental Division in 2012 after completing his M.S. in Environmental Engineering and B.S. in Chemical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He has worked on many of Pare's public water supply and wastewater system projects, with responsibilities ranging from the development of plans and specifications, geotechnical investigations, hydraulic analysis, bathymetric surveying, sediment sampling, environmental assessments, report writing and preparation, and construction observation. Marc's aptitude and enthusiasm have made notable contributions to the Environmental team, and Pare is happy to promote Marc to Senior Engineer.

Eric Silva has been an important member of Pare's Transportation Division for more than three years. Eric is a hard-working and dedicated contributor to the Bridge Group, where he has considerable experience working on highway structures for RIDOT and MassDOT, and railroad structures for Providence & Worcester Railroad. Eric has been involved in bridge inspections, analysis and design of superstructure and substructure components, bridge load ratings, and material quantity and cost estimates. Pare congratulates Eric on his promotion to Senior Engineer.

PARE is proud to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of these dedicated staff members and congratulates Cari, Dave, Marc and Eric on their promotions!

All of PARE's operating divisions have added experienced staff over the past several months to meet strong growth in key markets including, site/civil and structural design for educational and commercial facilities, traffic and transportation engineering, water and wastewater facility improvements, and geotechnical engineering, to name a few.

Marc J. Gabriel, P.E., recently joined PARE as a Senior Project Engineer in the Civil Division. Marc is a 2004 graduate of Northeastern University. He has spent his ten-year career providing project management, planning, site design and permitting services for a wide variety of land development and facility improvement projects throughout New England. Projects have ranged from residential subdivisions to complete site design and project management of major medical and institutional facilities. Marc is an active member of the NAIOP Developing Leaders Committee and sits on the Executive Committee for the Civil Engineering Alumni Organization at Northeastern University. He is a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC).

Amy J. Archer, P.E., a 2005 graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, recently joined PARE’s Transportation Division as a Project Engineer. For the first seven years of her career, Amy worked in Baltimore and throughout the Mid-Atlantic States on transportation planning and engineering projects. Over the last two years Amy has worked more locally, providing roadway, traffic and transportation design and oversight on projects for MassDOT, RIDOT, municipalities and private sector organizations.

Jesse Giuliano, P.E., is a Project Engineer within PARE’s Civil Division. Jesse has 13 years of consulting experience on infrastructure projects from Maine to California, with much of his work in the Four Corners region of the Southwest. Projects have ranged from highway and water/wastewater improvements to site/civil design and LEED documentation for major commercial, educational, residential, industrial, and public facilities. As a 2001 graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, and a native Cape Codder, PARE is pleased to bring Jesse back to his roots in New England.

Pare's staff continues to grow in 2014. Several of Pare's Divisions added engineers, with experience ranging from 4 to 20 years. In addition, a new position was created within the Marketing Department. We are pleased to welcome the following new staff members:

David McCombs joined Pare's Civil Division as a Senior Engineer with the structural engineering group and has already been promoted to Project Engineer. Prior to working at Pare, David operated his own company, DBM Engineering & Associates, est. 2005. David is a 1994 graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. David holds a Massachusetts Construction Supervisor License.

Dino Trotta is a Senior Engineer with Pare's Environmental Division. Dino is an experienced senior level project manager with over twenty years of electrical design and project management experience. Dino can most often be found on construction sites and works closely with both our Environmental and Civil Engineering Divisions. Dino holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Rhode Island.

Victoria Howland, a 2012 graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, joined Pare's Civil Division in February. Victoria is currently enrolled in a Masters of Science degree in the Sustainable Buildings program at Northeastern University in Boston. She recently received her LEED Green Associate certification and is now one of Pare's two LEED Green Associates.

Kailyn Corrigan joined Pare's Marketing Team in May as the Marketing Coordinator. Kailyn is a 2011 graduate of Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT and a life-long resident of Lincoln, RI. Kailyn's professional experience includes: Membership and Communications Director at Kent Washington Association of Realtors, Assistant to the Editor/Social Media Coordinator at Harvard Review in Cambridge, MA, and Public Relations Assistant at Special Olympics Connecticut.

Mark Georgian recently joined Pare's Foxboro, MA office as a Geotechnical Engineer. Mark graduated from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell in 2014 with a focus in Coastal and Geotechnical Engineering. Throughout his education, Mark gained ample experience as an Intern for the Amesbury Dept. of Public Works, where he worked closely with the Amesbury Conservation Commission. Mark was also a research assistant for the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA.

For nineteen years, Pare Corporation has provided gifts to each child living with a Boys Town foster family during the holiday season.This year, Boys Town New England honored PARE with the 2014 “Spirit of Youth Award."

On May 2nd, PARE was honored at Boys Town New England’s 2014 Spirit of Youth Gala, at Roger Williams Park Casino. Boys Town New England attributed the gala's 2014 theme, "Fly Away to Neverland," to the magic in the story of what has become PARE’s annual holiday tradition. One of the evening’s most magical moments involved the gala’s Youth and Family Speaker, Adam Charron, a former Boys Town New England foster child. After PARE was presented with The Spirit of Youth Award, Adam took to the stage to share his experience as a former foster child and his gratitude for Boys Town New England. Adam was one of the first children that PARE provided gifts for—almost two decades ago! Knowing PARE would be reunited with Adam, Deb Poulos, who initiated PARE’s gift-giving effort in 1996, tracked down and purchased the items from Adam’s original wish list and presented him with one more holiday surprise on stage. Deb recalls,“there wasn’t a dry eye in the building.”

Since 1996, PARE has provided holiday gifts for 531 children. Deb Poulos best summed up PARE’s commitment to Boys Town New England:

“I am so proud that everyone at PARE still shows as much enthusiasm as they did that first year. Sometimes we have seen names on the list that were there the year before, and we knew that child had not been reunited with his or her family or had not been adopted. We all took this to heart and always kept these children in our thoughts. It’s because of them, and children like them, that we continue to help Boys Town each Christmas. We want them to experience joy on Christmas the way the rest of us do. I couldn't ask for a better group of co-workers. They know how to come together and make things happen and get things done. We allhave families of our own and the holiday season is so busy that it's not always easy. But this has become tradition for us. To us, this is our little Christmas miracle. We have bought gifts for 531 children. That’s 531 smiles and for us that will always be enough.”

Founded in 1917, Boys Town has been dedicated to providing abused, abandoned, and neglected children with a safe, supporting and caring environment where they can gain confidence and learn skills to success. The Boys Town Model of care is research-based and produced life-changing results for youth across the country.

Pare Corporation is excited to recognize a long-time client, Bristol Parks and Recreation Director Walter Burke, as the recipient of Save the Bay’s annual Environmental Achievement Award. Walter was recently honored for his efforts to eliminate stormwater pollution entering Narragansett Bay in the Town of Bristol and, in particular, for his efforts to improve water quality at the Bristol Town Beach.

Working with Pare’s civil engineering and environmental teams, Walter initiated the Bristol Town Beach project to eliminate the frequent beach closings caused in years past by stormwater pollution. Historically, Bristol was forced to close its beach an average of 15 to 20 times per summer due to a stormwater system that carried bacteria, salt, and pollutants directly into the bay. David Potter, Senior Project Engineer in Pare’s Civil Division explains, “Pare worked together with Walter, the CRMC (RI Coastal Resources Management Council) and the DEM (RI Department of Environmental Management) to obtain a joint permit for the first-ever permitted GWVTS (Gravel Wet Vegetated Treatment System) in Rhode Island.”This design uses a vegetated permanent pool split between two cells to temporarily capture stormwater runoff from the adjacent residential neighborhood and treat for pathogens, total suspended solids, and other constituents. The two cells within the GWVTS are planted with a variety of aesthetically pleasing flowers and shrubs that feed on bacteria and pollutants before releasing this “filtered” water into the bay. The GWVTS is one of the solutions incorporated by Walter Burke on the Bristol Town Beach to treat stormwater runoff and reduce the number of beach closings.

The new system worked so well in the summer of 2013 (its first full season) that beach closings went from 15+ to zero. Briscoe Lang, Pare’s Principal Environmental Scientist, stated, “This system has proven successful in removing pathogens, and it should be used in all possible settings. It also provides significant aesthetic benefits.”When discussing the dual-functionality and success of the project, Pare’s team unanimously noted Walter Burke’s “vision” and his “get it done” attitude. As Briscoe Lang said, “Talk is nothing without action.” David Potter added, “He not only has the vision, but the patience and energy to achieve it.”

Congratulations to Walter Burke, who was presented the Environmental Achievement Award on Wednesday, May 21, by Save the Bay. For press coverage of Walter Burke’s achievement and additional GWVTS details, click here.

In response to the heavy rainfall and resulting localized flooding over the weekend of March 29-30, 2014, Pare Corporation provided emergency visual inspections of several dams in Massachusetts. This is a service that has become quite familiar during our wet springs in New England, and one which we are well suited to execute given our experience with dam, soils, structures, and New England weather patterns. Our dam engineers were on-site within one hour of receiving a phone call from the state Office of Dam Safety.

Recently, engineers from Pare Corporation volunteered at the Providence Children’s Museum alongside the ASCE Rhode Island Section Younger Member Group as part of National Engineer’s Week. The event, conducted annually by the ASCE Younger Member Group, introduces children to different aspects of civil engineering through a set of activity stations. Children visit each station and are awarded stickers toward their “junior engineer certificates.” Over 120 kids participated at this year’s event, held on February 22nd.

Mark Dowdell and Shane Driscoll presented water filtration to the children, demonstrating how sponges and coffee filters can remove solids from water, much like a more sophisticated water filtration system.

Eric Silva ran the geotechnical station, demonstrating how settlement can differ in various types of soil, from sand to potting soil.

Other stations demonstrated building construction using marshmallows and toothpicks, bridge construction using cardboard, and how stormwater (or rain) runoff can create erosion problems around riverbanks.

Happy Holidays to all! – and especially to those less fortunate than us.

Every year PARE employees generously donate gifts to the children receiving care under the auspices of Boys and Girls Town New England in Portsmouth, RI. This will be the 17th consecutive year that PARE has participated in this program. Each PARE employee chooses a child and purchases gifts from his or her “wish list.” We at PARE are so happy to be able to give back to our local community in this way, and to help make the holidays happy for children who have been removed from their families.

Each day, children in New England are victims of abuse, neglect and abandonment. The holidays can be a difficult time for these kids and most of them never experienced a traditional Christmas before they came to Boys Town. Since opening in 1991, Boys and Girls Town New England has brought life-changing care to tens of thousands of children and families in Rhode Island and surrounding states. Boys Town New England has five Treatment Family Homes that serve adolescents and young children at its Bazarsky Campus in Portsmouth. Boys Town also offers Foster Family Services, In-Home Family Services, and Community Support Services. The ultimate goal is to reunify children with their families, whenever possible.

Everyone here at PARE is proud to assist Boys Town in their mission by sharing our prosperity with the children in their care. To learn more about Boys Town and how you can help, visit: www.boystown.org/new-england

PARE is a multi-generational workplace; our technical staff of over 50 personnel has experience ranging from 40 years to a few months. Career (and knowledge) advancement through hands-on field work, mentoring, continuing education, and professional certification has always been the core component of PARE’s staff development. We are pleased to announce that several of our younger employees passed either the Professional Engineering Exam or the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam in 2011.

Adam Cabral is a Senior Engineer in PARE’s Civil/Structural Division who became a Professional Engineer in 2011. Adam graduated from UMass Dartmouth in 2007 and began as a full-time permanent employee at PARE after interning here for two summers. His experience in PARE’s Structural Group includes the design of superstructure and substructure components, construction documents, preparation of study reports, and construction administration. He has recently been involved in renovations at Westerly (RI) High School; the fitness center addition at Cardinal Spellman High School in Brockton, MA; renovations to both the Art Center and the Recreation Center at Rhode Island College; and pre- and post-construction condition surveys for various large utility construction projects in Boston.

Jennifer DiStefano, a Senior Engineer in our Transportation Division, became a Professional Engineer in Rhode Island in the summer of 2011. After interning at the RI Department of Transportation during the last couple of years of college, Jen graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2004 and began her career at PARE. She is very active in traffic engineering projects, including multi-use trail studies and design, traffic studies, intersection and signal design, and pedestrian safety. Current activities include Safe Routes to Schools projects in Cranston, RI and Central Falls, RI; final design of the Colt State Park Bike Path in Bristol, RI; several ongoing projects under an on-call traffic consulting contract with RIDOT; and a traffic study and offsite mitigation design for the Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical High School in Danvers, MA.

Shane Sousa, an Engineer in PARE’s Transportation Division, recently passed the P.E. exam and is awaiting the arrival of his Professional Engineer license from the State of Rhode Island. Shane interned at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation during his undergrad days at UMass Dartmouth. He graduated in 2008, began working at PARE shortly thereafter, and has since earned his Masters Degree in Structural Engineering, also from UMass Dartmouth. Shane has recently been involved in inspections and load ratings of dozens of bridges for the Providence & Worcester Railroad, MassDOT, and RIDOT; bridge design calculations and construction documents for MassDOT and RIDOT; and dam inspections and design of repairs to a dam owned by MassDOT.

Devon Ward is part of PARE’s Civil Engineering Division, working out of our full-service branch office in Foxboro, MA. Devon began at PARE shortly after earning his Bachelor Degree at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in May of 2011. He recently passed the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam to become an Engineer-in-Training. Devon’s work has been primarily focused on several public school designs in Massachusetts. PARE, as part of the architectural/engineering team led by Ai3 Architects of Wayland, is providing civil, geotechnical, traffic and environmental permitting services for a number of new high schools and middle schools throughout the Commonwealth. Devon has assisted with the design of building and parking layout, athletic fields, utility connections, stormwater handling, and grading for new high schools in Marshfield, MA, Somerset, MA, and Franklin, MA and new middle schools in Quincy, MA and Hingham, MA.

Happy Holidays to all! – and especially to those less fortunate than us.

Every year PARE employees generously donate gifts to children of all ages receiving care in the Treatment Family Homes under the auspices of Boys and Girls Town New England in Portsmouth, RI. This will be the 16th consecutive year that PARE has participated in this program. Each PARE employee chooses a child and purchases gifts from his or her “wish list.” We at PARE are so happy to be able to give back to our local community in this way, and to help make the holidays happy for children who have been removed from their families.

Each day, children in New England are victims of abuse, neglect and abandonment. They encounter dangerous living conditions at home, financial problems, and even the lingering effects of natural disasters. The holidays can be a difficult time for these kids and most of them never experienced a traditional Christmas before they came to Boys Town. Since opening in 1991, Boys and Girls Town New England has brought life-changing care to tens of thousands of children and families in Rhode Island and surrounding states. Boys Town New England has five Treatment Family Homes that serve adolescents and young children at its Bazarsky Campus in Portsmouth. Boys Town also offers Foster Family Services, In-Home Family Services, and Community Support Services. Within the Treatment Family Homes, youth form a family and learn social and independent-living skills that help them find success in school and in their community. The ultimate goal is to reunify children with their families, whenever possible.

Everyone here at PARE is proud to assist Boys Town in their mission by sharing our prosperity with the children in their care. To learn more about Boys Town and how you can help, visit: www.boystown.org/new-england

Pare was a member of the multi-firm architectural/engineering design team led by Payette Associates which provided conceptual and final design services for the construction of a $54 million, 140,000-SF Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences classroom and research building at the University of Rhode Island. The building opened in January of 2009 and was awarded a Gold LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. PARE assisted in preparing documentation for submission to the U.S. Green Building Council and designed the sustainable site design features, including a raingarden and stormwater stream features.

Pare Corporation recently hosted a free breakfast seminar on Hydraulic Modeling for water supply and distribution systems. The event was held on June 1, 2010 at Kirkbrae Country Club in Lincoln, Rhode Island and was attended by a number of water supply officials from Rhode Island and Massachusetts. A 45-minute lecture by Timothy Thies, P.E., a Senior Project Engineer at PARE, focused on ways that a computerized hydraulic model can be used to increase energy efficiency in a water system, to help a water supplier understand the transport and decay of chemicals in a distribution system, and to replace or supplement paper records for field cards, system maps, and maintenance logs.

PARE has been providing engineering and design services for water utilities for 40 years and has been a leader in hydraulic modeling in Rhode Island for almost 25 years.

Pare Corporation is proud to announce that three employees recently passed the accreditation exam to attain the designation of LEED Accredited Professional. Pamela M. Sherrill, AICP, Scott D. Lindgren, P.E., and Cari L. Powers, P.E., are the first PARE employees to achieve this accreditation and advance PARE's goal of incorporating-through education, training, and cultural change-a mindset within the firm and amongst our employees that encourages sustainable design in the performance of our assignments.

PARE designed and oversaw construction of a 37,000 gallon-per-day on-site wastewater treatment system at the Wickford Village housing complex in North Kingstown, RI. The project was recognized in the February 2009 issue of WaterWorld Magazine for its innovative design approach to help minimize site disturbance and unpredictable excavation costs.

Pare Corporation is proud to announce that Cari Powers, a Senior Civil Engineer with the firm, was elected and sworn in as President of the Providence Engineering Society at its Annual Meeting held this summer at the Wannamoisset Country Club in East Providence, RI. The Providence Engineering Society is the oldest professional engineering society in the United States, and Powers is the first female President in the society's 114 years of existence.